Police Accountability Project Referral Form
Thank you for using this referral form to refer a case to us. This form should take less than 15 minutes to complete and we will get back to you within a week.
The Police Accountability Project prioritises case work in the following areas:
1. Your client is a victim of family violence
We assist with helping people to get or defend a Family Violence Intervention Order where:
- The perpetrator of family violence is a police officer or someone closely connected to the police; or
- An order is being sought against your client, even though they are in fear for their safety in the relationship (‘misidentification cases’).
We can also help in some other situations where there has been a serious failure by police to respond to family violence and with some other family violence advocacy.
2. Your client has been charged by the police
We assist with summary crime (cases in Magistrates’ courts), and under exceptional circumstances, indictable crime (cases in higher courts) where:
- The client has been targeted or treated differently by police based on their perceived race;
- The police have used excessive force;
- There has been serious police misconduct; or
- There have been serious failures by police to respond properly to family violence, including where your client has been charged in relation to a situation where they are a victim of family violence in the relationship.
3. Your client has been harmed by the police or failed to be protected
We run a very small number of civil litigation cases (suing the police) and assist in a very small number of coronial inquests where this helps with advocacy and law reform objectives related to the above priority practice areas, for example:
- on behalf of people who have experienced racialised policing (improper stop and search, or assaults);
- predatory sexual behaviour by police, or serious failures to protect people experiencing family violence;
- people who have died while in police contact; or
- certain systemic use of force matters (for example, in mental health cases or use of OC Foam).
We prioritise cases for Aboriginal and Torres Straits Island People, People of Colour, people with substance dependence, people with disabilities, people experiencing and/or at risk of homelessness, people with mental illness, people who identify as LGBTIQ+, young people and particularly children in out-of-home care, and single parents. Our acceptance of referrals is subject to capacity.